The number of serious coronavirus patients and patients receiving respiratory assistance dropped sharply Friday evening, raising cautious optimism that the pandemic in Israel may soon be on the decline.
The number of coronavirus patients in serious condition dropped by 13 from Thursday evening to 168 patients (-7.2%) and the number of patients on ventilator support dropped by 15 to 122 (-11%).
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Health worker wearing protective gear in ambulance outside Sheba Medical Center
(Photo: Shaul Golan)
The Health Ministry reported there are 12,982 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Friday evening, 224 more than 24 hours earlier.
However, 308 patients have recovered at the same time, continuing a positive trend after Israel's daily number of recoveries from coronavirus Friday morning exceeded the number of new infections for the first time since the onset of the pandemic in the country.
The number of confirmed patients has been steadily growing at a daily rate of about 4% in the last 11 days. At this rate, the number of verified coronavirus infections in Israel will double every 16 days - as opposed to cases doubling every three days at the end of March.
At least 162 patients are in moderate condition, while 9,375 only display mild symptoms and 3,126 patients have made a full recovery from the virus.
There are currently 579 coronavirus patients receiving treatment in hospitals while 7,209 people are fighting the virus at home. Another 1,348 people are currently receiving treatment in specially designated hotels and 569 are awaiting a decision on whether they will be treated.
Four more Israelis have succumbed to complications of COVID-19 since the morning hours, bringing the country's coronavirus-related fatalities to 152.